


Halloween Night

by Akoia



Series: The Life and Times of Harry Potter [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Attempted Murder, Halloween 1981, Murder, Murder of a Child
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-21
Updated: 2018-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-09 11:22:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14715068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akoia/pseuds/Akoia
Summary: The Potters leave their well-guarded house when they're given an emergency alert. Little did they know, that a traitor would make himself known, and their lives would be changed forever.





	1. Thirty Minutes Before

"Lily, we need to go!" James said, grabbing her gently by the arm. "The Longbottoms need us!" James begged her, trying to pull her towards the fireplace.  

Lily shook him off and looked down into the crib where her small, one-year-old children were curled up together. She smiled, brushing her little Harry's hair out of his eyes. He scrunched his face up and chewed on his hand. His older brother moved closer, curling his arms protectively around Harry. That's how they should always have been. 

"They'll be okay, Lily." A woman said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'll be right here, watching over them." She promised. Lily turned and looked at her longtime friend, Dorcas Meadowes. Her strong shoulders and confident smile against her dark skin inspired confidence in Lily. "It's alright, go save your friends. We're all perfectly safe here." 

"She's right Lily, come on!" James held out his hand to his wife, who sighed and nodded. "Thank you, Dorcas, when we get back, you and Sirius are finally going to tie the knot, right?" He asked jokingly. She rolled her eyes at James and gently pushed them towards the fireplace. 

Lily looked back at her friend and her children one last time before following her husband into the fire. She spun around before she found herself in the middle of a battle that was already raging around her in the home of Frank and Alice Longbottom. Three Death Eaters against five Order Members were still a fearsome threat. Lily cast three spells in quick succession towards the wicked form of Bellatrix, who was advancing on Elphias Doge, who seemed to be holding his own against the vile woman. 

Bellatrix fell, and it seemed the other two decided to cut their losses. They apparated quickly away, leaving five cursing people behind. James cast a body-binding hex on Bellatrix and pressed his finger against the coin that was supposed to alert their leader that the mission was finished. Lily ignored the rest of her comrades when she heard the shrill scream of a crying child. 

She burst into the room and had to hold down her vomit at the scene she came upon. Alice and Frank were dead, their bodies twisted and deformed, charred. Their dead eyes were still wide open with terror. One of their children was screaming, Neville she remembered. He had a small cut on his cheek, that was slowly oozing blood. Their daughter, great Merlin, their daughter was curled up around her own small body. A large slash across her small neck. Lily grabbed the living boy and held him close to her breast, choking back her tears. She turned away from the awful sight when the rest of the order that had come, made their way into the room. She heard their shouts of surprise and disgust, but she couldn't turn around. 

"Look at me, darling," Lily told the little boy, gently running her finger over his small cheek. "Mummy and daddy loved you very much. They loved Lucy too, and I'm sure she loved you just as much." She smiled when he stopped screaming, rocking him back and forth. "You are loved, little one." 

The other Order members were preparing the bodies for examination at the ministry. The Aurors had already been summoned and were poking through the house. James came over the Lily and hugged her from behind. He buried his face in her neck and she felt his tears on her skin. Frank had been a good friend of James, so had Alice. They had both gone to their wedding. They'd gone to school together. They'd had Sunday brunches together when Alice and Lily were pregnant with their twins. 

"We need to take Neville to Albus," Jame said, pulling away from her and wiping his eyes off on the sleeve of his robe. "He'll have summoned Frank's mum by now, that's who should take little Neville." 

"Alright...okay....let's go." She said, moving mechanically towards the fireplace. She threw in the green powder, and the next thing she knew, she was standing in Albus's office and being directed towards a chair. She wasn't going to let go of Neville until his grandmother came to take him. 

"Albus, how the hell did this happen?" James asked, resting his hands on Lily's shoulders. 

"We have a traitor among us," Albus said, his eyes dull. "This person has been feeding Voldemort information about our activity for months, but I didn't think they'd even had a  _thought_ of where Alice and Frank were hiding." He massaged his temples a leaned down. "You should go check on Sirius," Albus said. "We need to make sure your secret keeper is safe." 

James and Lily looked at one another, a silent message being passed between the two. Lily nodded to James. "We...have a confession to make," he said. "About a week ago, Lily, Sirius, and I decided to change our secret keeper to a less obvious candidate. We thought that the Death Eaters would find it obvious that we'd picked him. So we switched to Peter instead." 

"Then we should go peek in on Mister Pettigrew and make sure that he's okay," Albus said, standing. "Follow me, if you would."  


	2. Fifteen Minutes Before

"Lily, stay here and wait for Augusta," James said, kissing her cheek. She tried to argue but James shook his head. "Someone needs to look after Nevil. Besides, I'm sure Peter's fine. We'll just be in and out, then we can go home and kiss our babies goodnight. But please...for my peace of mind, just sit this one out." 

She looked into his brown eyes and kissed him quickly, before pulling away and nodding. He turned and looked at her one more time before Albus grabbed him by the arm and the two disappeared. They popped into Peter's little flat that he was using in muggle London. Everything looked the same as the last time he'd been by to visit. The picture frames of Peter and his mother over the mantle place, there were a few snapshots of them while they were in school. There were books, papers, and other odds and ends scattered around the house. Nothing looked out of place. There was no sign of a struggle, but Peter wasn't there. It was only a one-room flat, and the bathroom door was open. 

"Albus...?" James turned to the man who was bent over Peter's desk, frowning deeply as he read over a letter. "Albus, what's wrong?" He asked. 

"You need to return home immediately, I will return to Hogwarts and tell Lily the same." He said, already moving quickly. He handed James the letter. "Peter has betrayed us all." He said. 

James looked down at the letter. 

 _My faithful, when the Potters and the Longbottoms lay dead at my feet you will be greatly rewarded for all that you've told me. You must leave the country until further notice. -"_ Lord Voldemort," James said, letting out a breath of terror. He let out a shout of surprise when he felt as if he was being yanked from underneath his arms and pulled through a tube. A port-key. 

He landed painfully on his arm, slamming down onto the cold ground. It was broken, he could feel it shifting painfully. James pushed himself off the ground when he heard laughter around him. There were four people in silver masks, surrounding him. They had their wands out. "Thought you could escape us,  _Potter?_ " A vaguely familiar voice spat at him, before casting a painful curse. 

James screamed and got to his feet, pulling out his wand. "I see no need to run from cowards." He spat back. He cast a curse into the crowd, hitting one of them with a the Reducto curse. His companions screamed in anger as the gore splashed them, their fallen toppling over dead. James was burning with the need for revenge for Frank, his wife, and daughter. He caught four unidentified curses in the stomach but he continued on. 

He cast impedimenta on the other three Death Eaters. He was breathing heavily in anger as he dodged the slow-moving jinxes and curses that were being fired his way. He had the overwhelming desire to take out his anger on those three. But he resisted. Three body binding curses later and James stood the victor, holding his swelling, broken arm. He could see eyes looking up at him with hatred. "I'm so close to killing to you." James spat at them. "But unlike you, I'm thinking about your families. I'm thinking about my  _soul."_

There were three loud pops and James pulled out his wand again, but relaxed when he saw that it was friendly faces. Lily led the charge and hugged James tightly. He screamed in pain and she let him go, looking at him with worry. She looked at his arm and sighed. "Are you okay, Jamie?" She asked him. 

"Yeah...I'm better than I could have been." He looked back at the bound Death Eaters. "Lily, we need to get home. Peter he-" 

"I know James, I know, come on the others said they'd meet us there. We need to prepare for battle." 

"Well, here I am," James said, with a smirk. He chuckled and winced when he moved his arm. 

"James, you need to get your arm looked at." 

"We don't have time!" James said. "Our babies are in danger, we don't have time to waste, we need to get home _now_!" He knew she wasn't going to argue with him, but she'd force him to take a break when it was all over. She'd feed him potions and his arm would heal. It'd suck, it'd hurt, but he'd be okay because he could cuddle up with his family. But first, he had to find Peter before he no longer had a family to return to. 

Lily gently took him by the arm and the two Disapparated and found themselves in front of their home. James took a step back and let out a shout of disbelief. The whole home was up in flames. Lily screamed and ran into the home, casting  _Auguamenti_ as she went. James wasn't far behind her, putting a hand over his mouth, almost unable to breathe. They came to the nursery, where it seemed that the fire started. They found Dorcas face down in front of the crib, her wand in hand. Both of their sons were shrieking in terror. 

Lily grabbed them into her arms and the couple quickly ran from the home. James just managed to clear the door before the whole of the home caved in on itself. They were both crying. James wrapped the three of them in a hug, so happy that he didn't care how much pain he was in. He didn't care that their home was gone.

"James... _James."_ Lily cried. "Harry's bleeding." She said, panic in her voice. 

"Don't be afraid, dear." A voice said as several pops alerted them there were people who were now on their lawn. Albus Dumbledore walked towards them with a deep frown on his aged face. He held out his arm and Lily handed Harry to him without complaint. Dumbledore pulled out a cloth from his robes and gently dabbed at the scar on little Harry's forehead. "Ah, yes, just as I thought." He sighed, handing Harry to James with a sad shake of his head. "I have never been so burdened to be correct." 

"Albus...what's happening?" James asked, swallowing thickly. 

"This isn't a conversation to have out in the open. I want you two to take your children to the headquarters and get some rest. We'll speak in a few hours." 

"What about Peter?" Lily asked, holding her child close to her chest. 

"He will be delt with, Lily, do not worry." 


	3. The Beginning of the End

Had this really been what Dorcas had died for? James looked down at the slumbering one-year-old who looked so much like him. That scar had ruined his entire family and destroyed his chance for true happiness. He'd always be looking over his shoulder, waiting for the monster to emerge out of the child. 

* * *

 

_ Albus had them sit in a private room, bringing their sons with them. Albus looked at Harry and closed his eyes. "I will have to explain to you, what I believed happened last night. Though I may be incorrect on the specifics, the end result is the same."     _

_ "What's wrong, Albus?" Lily asked, rocking her younger son.  _

_ "Last night, Voldemort made his move against the children he believed to be spoken of in the prophecy. 'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him. Born as the seventh month dies...' As I'm sure you're aware, you two, as well as the Longbottoms fit that description. However, there was a part of the prophecy that I kept secret from the both of you. I _ didn't...couldn't  _believe it was possible."_

* * *

James held a pillow in his hands. One small action might just save the world. If what Albus had told them was true, what choice did James have? Lily would be devastated, no doubt about that, she might never forgive him. But he could save his son. He could still save Edmond. His hands shook as tears came to his hazel eyes. His youngest son was  _dead,_ replaced with a monster. Replaced with the monster that had killed his parents, killed so many of his friends. Had destroyed his hope for a happy family. It was gone, every breath the monster took, James watched his life burn away. 

* * *

 

_"_   _The ones with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him. Born as the seventh month dies.  The Dark Lord will mark an equal of two. The older shall bathe in light and the younger shall dance among the darkness. The marked will have power the Dark Lord knows not. The mark of light will end his reign and a mark of Darkness will bring the world to its knees."'_

_Lily held their son closer to her chest. "What does that mean, Albus?" She asked, her voice hoarse._

_"We do not know what happened in your home tonight, but we do know that Voldemort came personally to kill your children. Miss Meadows laid down her life for your children, and thanks to her sacrifice your boys are safe. However..." Albus let his words hang in the air for a moment. "I had a Mediwitch run a diagnostic on your sons. It seems that Voldemort tried to cast the killing curse on little Eddie, however, it rebounded and hit Harry. As it hit Harry, it also destroyed Voldemort's body. But a piece of him still lives on, inside of Harry."_

_James felt his stomach turning in painful knots. "So then...Voldemort marked the younger? "_

_"Yes and no," Albus said, lacing his hands together. "Voldemort attempted to mark Eddie as his equal, but the curse rebounded, and struck Harry instead. When Voldemort was destroyed, his soul split, and it latched onto Harry's. That's how I believe he got his scar. Harry is now a Horcrux, and I'm not sure yet how that will affect him."_

* * *

 

James stopped when Harry's green eyes opened and looked up at him curiously. James threw the pillow on the ground with an angry shout. " _Monster."_ He hissed at the small child. "You killed my son." He turned away and pulled out his wand. "I'll let you live for now, but if you so much as give me a  _hint_ of your true intentions, I'll  _kill you."_

Something inside of Harry watched James silently, running fingers gently through the small child's simple mind. It wouldn't put its host in danger, so it knew, it'd have to stay domant. At least for a little while. 

 


End file.
